Disclaimer: This story is a work of fiction. It has no intentions of resembling any real persons dead or alive. This is entirely from my imagination, with a little help from already established sources. This story is based loosely on the comic book character "The Punisher" from Marvel Comics. Other characters may appear from Marvel comics as well as DC Comics.
Punisher and all related characters copyright Marvel Comics.
Blade and all related characters copyright Marvel Comics.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel copyright Joss Whedon, United Paramount Network and Warner Bros. Respectively.
The Vampire Chronicles and all related characters created by Anne Rice. Copyright Anne O'Brien Rice.
I have written another story on nifty entitled "Tales of a Real Dark Knight". It is in the Celebrity/Boy Bands section. Batman may appear in this story once or twice, as the Punisher may appear in "Tales of a Real Dark Knight". Any comments may be sent to authorjames2002@yahoo.com
Thank you and enjoy.
Chapter 14 Revisitation
"Got it," Blade exclaimed.
The vampire hunter held up the paper so the Watcher could read the column. 'Girl Jumps Through Glass Doors'. The newspaper had the address of the building.
"When do we go?" Whistler asked.
"I'm going. You're staying here."
"The hell I am!" Whistler responded. "You are going to need help. You can't untie Tandy and the others and deal with Ahriman at the same time."
Blade looked at Whistler and knew the old man was right.
"Fine."
"When do we go?"
"Noon. I want the sun at its strongest when we face off with Ahriman."
"Speaking of the sun..." Whistler said pointing out the window.
The sky was the grey color of pre-dawn. In a few moments, the first rays of sunlight would be streaming onto the city, streaming into the window dusting the vampire.
Blade walked out followed by Whistler and the two watched the vampire squirming in the chains. The sunlight poured in the window and the vampire screamed as its flesh burned and turned to ash.
The two turned to each other, shrugged their shoulders and headed back to the command room. They would have to make their plans for assaulting Ahriman's apartment building.
Johnny slept in the passenger side leaning over resting his head on Weatherby's shoulder. Michael had never believed he would find someone to care about. Part of him cared about Johnny. But was it love? Was it enough? Or was it just sex? He knew what love was. Davey and Harris seemed to have real love between them. Harris wasn't model material, but Davey loved who Harris was on the inside.
Weatherby couldn't say that about Johnny. He had known him only a couple of days, and the first night they were together, they had sex. The sex wasn't bad, Weatherby remembered. It was great. But sex doesn't build a relationship. Having things in common, wanting the same goals out of life, personalities meshing, and those things helped make a good relationship. And after what Johnny went through, they had more things in common now than before, vengeance, for one.
Weatherby grabbed his sunglasses and put them on as the sun came up over the horizon. They had been driving for nearly two hours now. Only an hour left before they reached Columbus. He looked over and decided to let Johnny sleep. He was going to need his rest for what they were going to do.
Johnny woke with a start. The Suburban was parked in a convenience store gas station. He looked around but was unable to see Weatherby. Then, the door to the gas station opened and Weatherby came out with two cups of coffee and a box of donuts. He climbed in and closed the door.
"Good morning," he greeted Johnny.
"Hey," Johnny replied. "What time is it?"
"Seven thirty in the morning."
"You should have woke me up to help drive."
"I've had plenty of rest in the F.O.H. holding cell. Besides, I've been trained to go long periods of time without sleep."
"Are we close to the installation?"
"Yep."
"Let's go over the plan one more time. We have a half hour."
Weatherby nodded and they went over how they were going to get Caleb, Johnny's son, away from the Friends of Humanity.
Harris woke up on the couch. The room was empty save for Ty, Tandy and Davey chained to the wall. Harris was sore from the beating Ahriman gave him. But since no one else was around, it was his chance to free his friends, the ones with real power.
Slowly Harris moved off the couch. His body ached all over. He had never experienced a beating like that before. In some ways, it was easier for him to deal with than what he was used to. Verbal assaults you never truly heal from. They become part of you because they wound the heart, not the body.
Harris got to Davey and looked at the locks. Davey turned to Harris and smiled. He leaned over and kissed Harris.
The door opened and Ahriman walked in as Harris worked on Davey's chains. The vampire held up his hand and Harris's body clenched in pain. The boy dropped to his knees in agony as the vampire neared.
"This will show you not to disobey me, boy."
"Leave him alone," Davey cried.
"He was supposed to leave you alone, but he did not. What is good for the goose is...well, you know the rest."
Ahriman let out a wicked smile and continued to inflict excruciating pain on Harris.
Johnny and Weatherby pulled out the motorcycle. Weatherby strapped on his ammunition and hoisted several of his guns. He turned to Johnny.
"Are you ready for this?"
"As ready as I'll ever be."
Johnny leaned in and kissed Weatherby. Then, in a flash of flame, he grew in stature and his head was replaced by that of the demon. As Ghost Rider, he mounted the motorcycle and it changed before Weatherby's eyes.
"You ready, Ghost Rider?"
"Are you, Punisher?"
Punisher nodded and headed toward the F.O.H. building. Ghost Rider took off toward the main gate and barreled his way through using his chain to disarm his would-be assailants.
Punisher ran through the opening and headed for the front door. It wouldn't take them long to lock down the facility. They had to locate Caleb before hand. Punisher shot through the glass of the front door and jumped with all his force into the glass at the front booth. He was able to dent the Plexiglas but not break it.
"I need help, Ghost Rider," he yelled.
Ghost Rider drove through the front doors twirling his chain around. He let it fly into the Plexiglas and the shatterproof material blasted into millions of pieces.
"Thanks," Punisher replied and he jumped into the booth.
It took Punisher only a moment to open the computer files and find Caleb Blaze. "Got him!"
Ghost Rider pulled his motorcycle up to the booth and Punisher leapt out onto the back.
"Section D, room four nineteen."
Ghost Rider nodded and headed toward the door that would lead them deeper into the building.
"That's solid steel," a commando said from the floor. "You won't get through."
Ghost Rider looked at the commando, turned back to the door and said, "OPEN!"
A wave of heat blasted from his mouth and hit the door blowing it off the hinges. He revved up the bike and he and Punisher headed down the corridor toward section D.
"What's going on?" the former Mrs. Blaze asked the security guard.
"Someone has attacked this installation. From the description, it's the Punisher."
"The same man who was with Johnny?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Do you think he did something to Johnny?"
"I don't know, ma'am. Right now your concentration should be on protecting your son."
Ms. Blaze nodded. Caleb looked up in her eyes the fear evident in his.
"It will be okay, honey. The Friends of Humanity will protect us."
Caleb nodded. "I wish dad were here."
Ms. Blaze looked at him. 'What have I done?' she thought. 'I shouldn't keep Johnny and Caleb apart. Caleb still needs his father, no matter what Johnny has done to me.'
"Here's section D," Punisher said.
"Where is 419?"
The two men of vengeance looked around until they saw the small signs indicating which corridors had which rooms.
"Four hundred is down that way," Punisher pointed out.
Ghost Rider turned the motorcycle down that corridor and gunned it.
"Keep your eyes open for 419!"
"Will do," Punisher replied.
Several commandoes turned the corner and open fire. Punisher shot back without hesitation and down they fell. He was an excellent shot. In a matter of minutes, the two found room 419.
"I can't let him see me like this," Ghost Rider declared. And before Punisher's eyes, he turned back into Johnny.
"I'll keep watch," Punisher declared.
Johnny nodded and knocked on the door.
"Who is it?" a gruff voice answered.
Johnny turned to Punisher asking for assistance.
"The Punisher is on his way," Punisher called through the door. "The commander wants us to place a few more commandoes in there to protect the Blaze family."
"Understood."
The door opened and Punisher whacked the soldier on the head with the butt of his gun knocking him unconscious. Johnny stepped over him and went to his ex-wife and son.
"Caleb!" he exclaimed.
"Daddy!"
The two males ran to each other and embraced.
"It's good to see you, too, Johnny," his ex said.
"And you, as well."
"What happened?"
"The Friends of Humanity. They are not what they seem."
"What do you mean?"
"Not all mutants are bad. They are turning this into another civil rights movement. The F.O.H. wants to punish mutants for who they are, simply because they are different. It isn't right."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive. The stories I've heard Michael tell of taking students out of high schools simply because they were mutants. The F.O.H. terrorized them. It's all a campaign against those who are different."
"What can we do?"
"Find mutants and ask how you can help. The Human Rights Campaign may be able to point you in the right direction. They are good about getting equal rights."
"What about you?" she asked.
"There are things I have to do. I know where my place is and what that work entails."
Punisher stepped in the door. "We're about to get company."
"Listen," Johnny said to his ex-wife. I want you to take Caleb and go back home. Or go to your parents, whichever makes you feel safe. I'll find you. I'll come and visit. I promise. But I have to get going."
"But daddy..." Caleb said.
"Be brave, Caleb. I love you. And I need you and mom to take care of each other. Can you do that for me?"
"Yes," Caleb said with tears in his eyes.
"No need to cry, son. I'm doing what I should be doing. Just like one day you will grow up and do what you should do. Understand?"
"Yeah," Caleb answered.
"Know this, Caleb. I will always love you. No matter what happens, no matter how things may change, I will always, always, always love you."
"I love you, too, dad."
Johnny embraced his son feeling like it would be the last time he would hold his son. When he released his son, he turned his attention back to his ex-wife.
"Stay here until one of the commandoes comes to get you."
"Okay."
Johnny turned to the door.
"Johnny," his ex-wife said. He turned back to her. "Be careful."
Johnny nodded. "Take care of yourself."
She nodded in return.
Johnny and Punisher exited the room. Then Ghost Rider took over and mounted the bike.
"Let's get out of here."
"I'm all for that."
Punisher climbed on and the two headed back the way they came shooting commandoes, hitting them with the chain, and running over anyone who dared stand in their way.
The motorcycle tore through the parking lot and out into the street.
"They won't forget what happened today," Punisher thought.
"Not likely."
After placing the motorcycle into the Suburban, the two drove toward downtown Columbus. Weatherby wanted to show Johnny where he lived for a short time. As they drove, Weatherby saw Blade driving slowly down the street as well.
"See that guy over there," Weatherby pointed out. "I used to work with him, sort of."
"Who is he?"
"Do you remember me telling you vampires were real?"
"Yeah?"
"That's Blade, the vampire hunter."
"Can I meet him?"
"I don't know. He looks busy."
Weatherby pulled over to the side and rolled his window down. "Blade!" he called out. The vampire hunter saw him and turned his bike around in the middle of the street.
"What the hell are you doing back here?" Blade asked.
"This is Johnny Blaze. We met in Cleveland. We came back because he wanted to see his son. The Friends of Humanity took him and Johnny's ex-wife.
"Where are the others?"
"That's what I'm doing out here, looking for them."
"Need some help?"
"I don't think so. What I'm up against is something I've never faced before. I don't need you two getting hurt."
"I don't think that will happen," Johnny replied. "You'd be surprised what power I can tap into."
Blade looked on him narrowly. "Follow me."
Blade took off up the road with Weatherby following close behind. After taking Interstate 71 north for a short while, Blade got off the highway. Within a few moments, the two vehicles were pulling into an apartment complex.
Blade dismounted and Weatherby and Blaze climbed out of the Suburban.
"Welcome to our new home," Blade said.
To Be Continued...
Punisher is back in Columbus with his new "friend" Ghost Rider. Perhaps these two could lend a helping hand against Ahriman. Next chapter, the showdown with Ahriman.